Looking For Systems Detailing Software

[hennessy1]

I was looking for something more then a word or excel doc in terms of software that I can input computer system specs, network configurations, and logins and passwords. For example if I go to a customers location I would like a software where it can pretty much create a detailed list or map of their particular setup. I don't have a maximum price just in the browsing phase and wonder if anyone could point me towards something. Thank you in advance.

 

[lxskllr]

Belarc Advisor...

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

 

[gmaster456]

Belarc Advisor...

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

WOW! That's all I can say. This program is amazing. This will make my life much easier. Thanks.

 

[hennessy1]

That is an amazing piece of software. Unfortunately I don't see the ability to input any information. I am almost looking for a combo of that belarc software where it gets the info then be able to input that info into something like this software http://www.edrawsoft.com/Network-Diagrams.php where you can see a visual rep of what is on that location in terms of computer specs with users and passwords along with the networking equipment with those login and passwords as well. Is there somthing that exists like that or would you have to use 2 different software products and take the info from one into the other?

 

[lxskllr]

That sounds like some kind of pro level software, not really my area of expertise; well, even less than my other areas of inexperience :^D

Just for me to visualize what you want... You'd like iconized workstations, servers, and switches showing how they connect to each other on what amounts to a map? If it wasn't a huge location, I'd do it manually with a spreadsheet, and a hand made diagram. For a very large location. I don't know. A spreadsheet might still work, but it would have to be automated in some way. Add some script-foo, and you could probably make a decent diagram, but I don't even know where to start. It sounds like an interesting and useful project though.

 

[Aluvus]

just in the browsing phase and wonder if anyone could point me towards something.

Although I'm not qualified to recommend anything, the generic term for software to keep track of where computers/equipment are located and how they are configured is "asset management" software, sometimes "fixed asset management" to indicate that the resources being tracked are not mobile. Note that the term "asset management" is also used in finance with an unrelated meaning.

 

[hennessy1]

@lxskllr ya pretty much i want to be able to create a 3d diagram and be able to represent switches firewalls routers workstations servers and if i was to roll over them be able to either bring up system specs and/or login name and passwords along with system ip info.

@aluvus is there atleasta company you can point me towards that would offer somthing as ive described?

 

[hennessy1]

So I have narrowed down more what we want to do with this potential software. My 2 questions are is there a software out there that is like belarc advisor that can be used for business use as that belarc software can not without spending a little more money then we would want. Our main budget for this is probably 1K at the most.

I found this cad type program called Edraw and that has templates in it that we can use to visualize our networks and systems. What I wanted to be able to do on those templates those is be able to have each model on there be able to point to a document or folder that would contain information about that particular piece of equipment.

For example here is a screen shot of a template

What I would like to be able to do is click on a model and have that open up into more information about that particular model.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Update: I had a small brain fart and realized I could add hyperlinks to open files. But would that create a local copy of the file or would the original location of the file still have to be present for that to work?

Also for the belarc software alternative the main parts we were looking for is the System Managed Products, Software Licenses, Software Versions & Usage, and Install Hotfixes.

 

[xSauronx]

spiceworks will do inventory for a site. not sure if you could really put it on a laptop and haul it around or if it needs to be on a server and staying at a customer site. havent used it much, but it will sort of do what you want, and its free.

usually for our customers we use visio...and i god damn hate it for that sort of thing. great for connectivity drawings or physical layouts, but my company uses it for inventory and password management...poorly.

The Dude will also do some scanning, but its nothing complex or special as far as doing inventory...just network scans, iirc.

if you used manage antivirus that will do inventory for devices it is installed on with some clients, like symantec endpoint protection or mcafee epolicy console.

novell still has zenworks for asset management (ugh)...and you can look into solar winds, but all of that is going to cost money, probably per site and/or client.

now, if you want something you can sell tha twill do some of this, but remain affordable, look into the cicso Onplus
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps11792/index.html

we just started testing a unit. im not clear on the details yet but one of my co-workers was telling me about it. i know its relatively cheap for each device/service, will do network monitoring and inventory and give you remote access anywhere you have an internet connection. not sure that it will keep up with passwords and other data like that but that sort of information is probably best kept encrypted anyways.

 

[ringtail]

SIW (System Info for Windows) is better than Belarc Advisor...

the free
SIW - Home Edition is here, near bottom of page:


http://www.gtopala.com/siw-download.php